A launch vehicle developed by a Tokyo-based venture firm will lift off from a site in western Japan on Saturday. If the rocket successfully places a satellite into orbit, it will mark the first instance in Japan in which a private-sector firm accomplishes the task entirely on its own.

The firm, Space One, plans to launch Kairos, a solid fuel propelled rocket, at around 11 a.m. from its launch site in Kushimoto Town, Wakayama Prefecture. The firm also built the site, Spaceport Kii.

The 18-meter-high launch vehicle will carry a small satellite belonging to the Japanese government. The plan is to detach stages gradually and deploy the satellite into an Earth orbit at an altitude of 500 kilometers about 50 minutes after liftoff.

There has been a growing global demand for launches of small satellites. Space One aims to start a business that will bring satellites into space at a low cost, effectively creating a space-delivery service. It says it plans to launch 30 rockets a year in the 2030s.

Japan's space development has been led by the government. Space One is funded by a precision equipment maker, a construction firm and others. Eyes are on whether the involvement of the private sector can help boost the country's international competitiveness.